The Reluctant Wedding Planner
by LiteratureLover34
Summary: Quinn has to plan a wedding and reluctantly accepts the help of Rachel. As they work together feelings are revealed and realized. Faberry. Written from a prompt.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first attempt at any type of fiction, so if you review please be kind. I do appreciate advice and suggestions in order to improve. I have recently become a Faberry fan and I want to fix some of the issues that Glee has overlooked with this amazing pair. This story is in answer to a prompt on Tumbler that I found interesting. It will be rated T but may progress to an M if I get brave. The story takes place some time during season 3 and will be a AU. Spoilers for some of season 3.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, its characters or plot lines, nor any music or movies used in this story.**

Chapter 1: Prologue

Quin groaned and threw her hand up in frustration. Time was running out and the days on her calendar were mocking her. It was just too hard to plan the perfect wedding. She had enough going on in her life at the moment, but she had found herself unable to say no when asked for help. Her Glee mates were no help either. Santana was too caught up with Britney, Finn was hanging all over Rachel, Blaine and Kurt were always unavailable, Sam was busy trying to chase Mercedes, and Quinn didn't really trust the new kids to give her any decent help or advice. She heaved a sigh and reluctantly turned back to the wedding plans, rubbing her temples to ease the headache that had suddenly developed while she tried to find a decent starting point.

It suddenly came to her. Music was the best way to get started. She had all the singers from New Directions to help as the band, although she made a note to make sure that Mr. Shue would not be rapping. There was no need to terrify the guests after all. The blonde tapped her pen thoughtfully against her chin as she booted up her computer and scrolled through the music in her iTunes.

Thirty minutes later, after thoroughly searching the music on her computer and on YouTube, Quinn had an organized list of music for the ceremony and the reception. She then turned her mind towards the invitations. She groaned once more as she observed the rather large pile of samples that she had to go through. "Aarrgh! I wish I had some help with this!" she complained.

*Tap, tap, * Quinn looked up just as Rachel entered the room with a large beaming smile on her face. The brunette was carrying an oversized bag and two steaming lattes. She handed one to Quinn and sat down in the desk chair. The diva immediately began rummaging through the bag and pulled out several binders. Quinn smirked when she noticed that each binder was meticulously labeled and organized. Typical Rachel.

"Ready to get started?" Rachel smiled at Quinn.

"What are you doing here?" Quinn looked completely shocked.

"Helping you of course," Rachel said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why?" Rachel quirked an eyebrow at Quinn's apparent confusion.

"You mentioned earlier that you were going to be working on wedding stuff, so I thought that I would come and lend my expertise in the matter at hand. I have already assembled a plethora of materials and colors for the decorations and invitations, as well as put together a wonderfully romantic list of musical favorites for the occasion." Rachel rambled nervously.

Quinn mentally face palmed. She didn't want Rachel's help. It was bad enough that the wedding materials she was buried in reminded her of the upcoming mistake between the brunette and Finn, but being around Rachel meant that the blonde would be unable to vent about it when she was frustrated.

It was on the tip of her tongue to say no, but Quinn made the mistake of looking at Rachel's hopeful expression. Her Bambi eyes were pleading with Quinn for acceptance. Quinn sighed, "Ugh! I guess you can help. I have some conditions though." Quinn cut off Rachel's gasp of excitement. "One, no show tunes. Two, no argyle. And three, I have the final say on what stays and what goes. Deal?"

"Deal."

Rachel smiled brightly at Quinn, who couldn't help but return it. The blonde reached back to get her binder, while Rachel stood up and began neatly arranging her own binders on the bed. Quinn gaped at the sheer amount of information that the little diva had accumulated. There were seven binders, each one labeled and bursting at the seams. She scanned the titles apprehensively. There was music, invitations, venues, decorations, dresses, flowers and food.

"What the hell, Rachel?" Quinn huffed. She had already been overwhelmed with choices and this was NOT helping!

"I thought that you might find it easier to go though if everything was organized. I have spent a great deal of time and effort to put together an informative collection of everything to do with weddings. I would have put together a power point, but I realized that this might be the better way to go as there are some things that cannot be adequately portrayed on a computer screen"

"I already have to pick from too many selections! Now it's even worse." Quinn fumed. "This has to be done soon. The wedding date is July 4th and it's almost April!"

"Calm down, Quinn. The sooner we get started the sooner we can give your mother the wedding she deserves."

**A/N2: Did you like the twist at the end? Cookies for those that figured out that it wasn't Rachel and Finn's wedding that Quinn was helping to plan. Rate and review please. I will try to update every couple of weeks, but I'm moving, so I can't promise anything. PM me if you have any suggestions or constructive comments. This will be Faberry pairing, so don't worry on that front.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, its characters or plot lines, nor any music, movies, or TV shows mentioned.**

Chapter 2

Quinn and Rachel worked tirelessly for three hours with very few disagreements. Their biggest debate was of course over music. Rachel was ranting about the greatness of Celine Dion and Barbara Streisand and the absolute necessity for their music to be a part of the wedding when Quinn finally snapped.

"Rachel! Enough!

The little diva stopped mid-rant and narrowed her eyes at Quinn.

"There's no reason to yell at me. I'm simply enumerating the many reasons that these two iconic singers..."

"Shut up!" Quinn hissed angrily. "I know you love your show tunes and your ballads, but not everything has to include them. In case you've forgotten, this wedding is for my _mother_; it will not be some travesty set up for you and Finn!"

Rachel's big brown eyes filled with tears."Why do you hate the idea of Finn and me getting married? I just don't understand!"

Quinn shifted guiltily and took a deep breath to calm herself down. Repentant hazel eyes met hurt brown ones as she tried to gather her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Rachel. I thought we cleared all of this up already. You have a future in New York and Finn just isn't made for that kind of life. Do you really think that he can handle the pressure of being a husband while going to school. He'll be too overwhelmed by everything. He lacks the drive and ambition to succeed that you have in spades. He's not mature enough to support the both of you. I get that you love him, but I just don't understand why you can't wait to get married after college."

Rachel sat in shocked silence. Clearly Quinn had been giving this some serious thought. She blinked back tears and stood up on shaky legs.

"I guess I'd better go," she sniffed. Quinn nodded and turned away while Rachel hurriedly gathered her things. She thought about reaching out to the brunette, but when she turned around Rachel had already left.

The blonde was visibly shaken by the vehemence of her speech to Rachel. She tried to explain to herself why it bothered her so much that Rachel and Finn wanted to get married. As she went about her nightly routine, Quinn kept running the conversation with Rachel over and over again. She pulled the covers over her body while she shifted and tried to get comfortable. Her last thought, as she drifted off, was that she cared, because she cared about Rachel.

* * *

Rachel stormed out of Quinn's room down to her car. She was furious and hurt after the blonde's heartfelt speech. While driving home she tried valiantly to keep the tears at bay, only to have them roll unchecked down her cheeks. She sat in her driveway and did a few breathing exercises to calm down before she went inside.

Her parents were in the living room, so the diva tried to slip past them unnoticed.

"Sweetie, did you have a good time at Quinn's?" her Dad called out.

Rachel flinched, but tried to answer in a normal voice. "It was great, Dad. We made a lot of progress tonight! I believe that we will have Judy's wedding done in no time."

"That's great, honey." Her Daddy said cheerfully.

"Yes, well, good night, Dad. Good night, Daddy."

Rachel trudged up to her room. She put everything away before heading to her en-suite to shower and get ready for bed.

After running through her nightly routine she climbed into bed. Try as she might, it was just impossible to sleep. Her mind kept going over everything Quinn had said. Rachel sighed in frustration; she wanted to call Quinn and yell at her for trying to plant doubts in her mind before the big day. She wanted to argue back that she and Finn had the most important thing to make a marriage work. Love. They had comfort in each other. Finally feeling her body calm down, Rachel began cycling though some of her breathing exercises. As her eyes closed, the last coherent thought that slipped through was Quinn seemed to care a great deal about her future.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Sorry the last update was so short. I just want to tell this story naturally. Quinn and Rachel are both very sensitive, despite their inner strength. They will both take a while to sort out that they are meant to be together. Please take the time to review. I am new to writing and to fanfiction, so if anyone has constructive suggestions, I appreciate it. Enjoy chapter 3.**

Chapter 3

Quinn slept fitfully as nightmares about her fight with Rachel swarmed in her subconscious. When her alarm went off at 8 a.m. she almost threw it across the room. Heaving a sigh, she tossed off the covers and tiredly stumbled to the bathroom to get cleaned up and ready for church.

Fort-five minutes later had Quinn in a dark green dress with a soft cream-colored cardigan and black ballet flats. Her hair was in loose curls around her face and she had applied a minimal amount of makeup. She was putting in her earrings when the smell of breakfast wafted up the stairs. Quinn checked her reflection one last time, before grabbing her purse and heading down to the kitchen.

Judy looked up from the frying pan that held the scrambled eggs. Bacon and waffles had already been set on the table, along with some orange juice. She smiled at her daughter as Quinn moved to set the table and get the coffee.

"So how was the planning session, dear? I'm sorry I got home so late, but Patrick took me to a show in Akron and it didn't get out until almost eleven." Judy spooned some eggs onto Quinn's plate and some onto her own.

"It went well. So far I have narrowed down the venues for the reception, I booked the church and the minister, and I scheduled appointments with some caterers." Quinn tried to refrain from devouring her breakfast. She had been so busy the day before that she had missed dinner completely.

"Wow! You've done so much already?" Judy beamed proudly at her daughter and turned to her own breakfast.

"I'm glad I could help, Mom. I got lucky though. Rachel came over to help." Quinn flushed at the admission and at her mom's praise.

"That's wonderful, Quinnie! Rachel is such a sweet girl, and so talented too." Judy hid her delighted smirk with a sip of coffee as she took in her daughter's expression.

Quinn sat in slight shock at her mom's praise of Rachel. She'd been prepared for a frown of distaste or even a reprimand for hanging out with that 'Berry girl.' The last thing she expected was a positive endorsement. Deciding not to answer right away, she quickly finished her breakfast and helped her mother clear the table before heading to the church for Sunday School and Mass.

* * *

Rachel's alarm went off at 7 a.m. sharp. She hopped out of bed and quickly changed into workout clothes. After grabbing some water and stretching she climbed onto her elliptical to begin her workout.

As her muscles began to warm, she began mentally planning her day. Sunday was her only day that had a somewhat open schedule. Her weekdays were filled with school, voice and dance lessons, and glee, while her Saturdays were usually spent with Finn. Since her botched NYADA audition, however, Rachel had let some of her lessons slide, opting instead to spending more time with Finn. She resolved to get herself together. Quinn had motivated her to get back into her training after their argument the day before.

As soon as her elliptical workout was complete, Rachel pulled out the yoga mat and stretched out her body with a short yoga routine. After a quick shower, she changed into her 'weekend clothes'- dark skinny jeans with red ballet flats, a white sleeveless shirt, a red cardigan, and a blue scarf. She then headed downstairs to make herself and her dads breakfast.

To her surprise she found both of her dads flitting around the kitchen, absorbed in making breakfast together.

"What's all this?" Rachel laughed as Hiram grabbed his chest in mock surprise. Leroy picked her up from behind and tickled her with affection, which only caused her to laugh harder.

"We've been so busy lately that we haven't spent much time with you," Leroy said as he put her down. "We thought it would be nice to spend the morning together before I have to leave on a business trip."

"That's great!" Rachel smiled excitedly. "What activities shall we do today?"

"After breakfast we can go to the grocery store and the mall and maybe an early movie. Your father has to leave for the airport around four." Hiram put the finishing touches on the fruit salad and brought it to table along with the pancakes.

Rachel clapped her hands together. This was turning out to be a great day. She had put herself back on track for her life plan and was getting to spend time with her parents.

Because the mall didn't open for another hour or so, Rachel and her dads did a few chores around the house to kill some time. Leroy picked up the living room and started some laundry while Hiram cleaned the bathrooms. Rachel cleaned the kitchen and picked up her room. While organizing her room, Rachel came across a picture of the glee club at Regionals. She unconsciously traced over Quinn's face. Their confrontation the day before hurt her heart and she wanted nothing more than to go over to Quinn's and apologize. She decided to go over the Quinn's and clear the air, while her fathers were at the airport. With that plan made, she scampered down the stairs to head to the mall with her dads.

**AN: I got so motivated that you get two updates in one day. The next chapter will have some Faberry interaction as the two plan Judy's wedding. One of the girls will start to realize her feelings. Can anyone guess who? Thank you for all the alerts and favoriting. It's exciting to write something that people are reading. Please leave some constructive criticism or suggestions. **


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I do not own Glee, its characters, plot lines, or any music, movies, stores, or restaurants that may be mentioned.**

Chapter 4

Rachel and her dads had shopped themselves out at the Lima mall. In an attempt to update her wardrobe, Rachel had dragged her dads to several different stores so she could try on clothes. Ever since becoming friends with Kurt and dating Finn again she had tried to improve her closet. Kurt and Blaine often took her to the mall, so Kurt could constantly dress her. Although she still wore her skirts and dresses, she had slowly removed her beloved animal and argyle sweaters. The diva appreciated Kurt's input and often wore what he made her try on, but she adamantly refused to let him talk her into giving up her knee socks. Although Kurt was her best friend, she preferred when Blaine tagged along. He had a way of reining in Kurt's zeal for criticizing every wardrobe choice she made. She did pay attention to Kurt's advice, so with his fashion 'do's and don'ts' running through her mind, she picked up several new outfits at various spots in the mall. She also sneaked away for a bit to register for her wedding at the department store while her dads were preoccupied at Brookstone.

It had been a glorious shopping trip. Rachel liked nothing better than being productive. She could check off a few items from her mental checklist: her wedding registration and new additions to her clothing. She and her dads had spent so much time at the mall that it was nearly one in the afternoon when they left. Loaded down with bags, Rachel and her dads trekked to the car, Rachel chattering away happily about going to Between the Sheets later in the afternoon to pick up some new sheet music for glee and calling Kurt and Blaine for a trip to the Lima Bean.

"How about lunch before we head to the grocery store?" Hiram smiled at his husband and Rachel as he drove out of the parking lot.

"That new Hibachi grill and sushi place just opened in the square," Rachel piped up. "I Googled the menu the other day and was extremely impressed with the vegan options that were available."

Leroy chuckled warmly at his daughter. "It's settled then. We'll have lunch and then head to the grocery store. We will have to see a movie at home though. I still have to finish packing for my trip."

"Perfect! I do believe it's my turn to pick the movie," Rachel beamed at her parents. She was excited to finally have an establishment where she could get something other than salad. Her face fell a little as they pulled in and she saw the full parking lot. It seemed that everyone else in Lima wanted to try the new place. She held back an impatient sigh and trotted after her fathers as they entered the restaurant. Leroy walked up get their names on the list to be seated and Rachel looked for a place they could all sit and wait comfortably. While looking for a place with three seats available, her eyes swept over the lobby and stopped short at the sight of Quinn and her mother sitting in the crowded room. Her heart beat erratically as she took in the former Cheerio's outfit. Still a little upset from their argument the day before, she turned around and pretended she hadn't seen the blonde. To keep herself busy the diva grabbed a menu and began looking over the various options.

* * *

Quinn impatiently checked her watch. They were waiting on some friends from church to join them for lunch at the newest Lima restaurant. She had no desire to be in this swarm of people; it caused her slight claustrophobia to rear its ugly head. The blonde tried to take her mind off of her discomfort by watching her mother talk animatedly with Patrick. She smiled at how happy he made her mother. For so long both of them had lived under Russell's oppressive nature, so it was wonderful to see the vibrant outgoing woman her mother could be.

Judy's phone went off and she stood and walked away quickly to answer it. Quinn's gaze followed her mother and landed with surprise on a petite brunette. Although the girl had her back to Quinn there was something familiar about her. Quinn craned her neck to get a better look and felt a jolt of amazement when she saw that it was Rachel. Her hazel eyes took in the tasteful, yet casual outfit and she nodded to herself in approval. Since the brunette hadn't noticed her yet, Quinn was content to observe her. She watched Rachel peruse the menu and smiled at the shifting excitement that would flash across her face every few moments.

Judy had quickly finished her conversation and settled back on the bench. Quinn overheard her telling Patrick that their friends had rescheduled for another time. It was at that moment that Hiram noticed Judy. He immediately ambled over to say hello. "Judy, what a surprise. How have you been?"

Judy smiled at Hiram and waved to Leroy who was engaged in a conversation with the hostess. "Hello, Hiram. I'm doing well thank you." She turned to Patrick and introduced the two men. "Hiram, this is Patrick, my fiance and Patrick, this is Hiram. He is the father of one of Quinn's friends from school."

Quinn watched with interest as the two men shook hands. Hiram called Leroy over to finish the introductions. Both men oohed and aahed over Judy's ring. Quinn was impressed with her mom's graciousness about Rachel's dads. Rachel had by this time wandered over and said hello to Judy and Patrick. Quinn frowned to herself when she saw that Rachel was ignoring her. She was so engaged in working out what to say to Rachel that she almost missed the thread of conversation between the adults.

"...so why don't you join us. We'll have plenty of room at the table." Judy smiled at the Berry family.

"Thank you, Judy, we most graciously accept the invitation to dine with you." Leroy smiled back and kissed Judy's hand with a flourish.

Quinn was horrified. She was going to have to sit with Rachel through lunch and they were barely speaking to each other. She met Rachel's gaze and saw that the other girl had realized their predicament as well. She sighed. This should be interesting.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: ** **The muse was working today so you get two updates in two days. The second half of this chapter will have one of the girls realizing her feelings. Read on to see if you guessed correctly. The usual disclaimer of not owning anything still applies.**

**AN 2: The story should pick up a little after this chapter. I really just wanted to set the stage for the girls in the beginning.**

Chapter 4 Part 2

Rachel was desperately trying to think of a topic of conversation to avoid the inevitable awkwardness between her and Quinn. They were sitting next to each other at the table and she had yet to meet Quinn's gaze. She could almost feel the other girl staring at her and the little diva was attempting to appear unaffected by it. In reality she could not pinpoint exactly how she felt. Her stomach fluttered, her heart raced, and her skin felt hot and flushed. Finally in a last ditch effort to stave off her discomfort she pasted a brilliant smile on her face and bravely faced Quinn to start a conversation. Surprisingly Quinn beat her to the punch.

"What have you guys been up to today?" Quinn's tone was soft and indulgent.

Rachel cleared her throat. "We've been shopping all day. Since deciding on NYADA I've been working on increasing the effectiveness and style of my wardrobe since Christmas. After all, as a future Broadway star, I need to have fashionable attire for my inevitable walks on the red carpet." For some reason the muscles in her neck tightened and her stomach felt like lead. The possibility of Quinn ridiculing her outfits left a bitter taste in the diva's mouth.

As the conversation continued, however, Rachel felt the tension bleed from her shoulders. She recounted her numerous new outfits for Quinn and took in the taller girl's expression. Quinn had a small grin on her face as she listened attentively to the little diva. Rachel trailed off at the look in the blonde's eyes. She shivered under the girl's scrutiny, but met Quinn's gaze evenly. The blonde's eyes were unfocused as if she was lost in thought.

Rachel watched Quinn shake her head seemingly to clear her thoughts and smiled knowingly.

"What?" Quinn asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

"It's nothing, Quinn. I just noticed that you were off somewhere else. It's okay; Finn doesn't really listen to me either. He often tells me that I give him a headache from talking so much."

Rachel watched guilt and anger flare up in Quinn's eyes. "Finn is an idiot," the blonde muttered as she cleared her throat and looked at the little brunette "and I wasn't tuning you out, Rachel, I was picturing some of your clothing choices. Most of them aren't bad." She smirked. Before Rachel could formulate a reply Quinn burst out with her apology. "I'm sorry, Rachel. I shouldn't have been so mean to you yesterday. I was just frustrated and overwhelmed and I took it out on you. It's a habit that I'm trying to break. I meant what I said about Finn, but I should have been nicer with how I said it."

Rachel was gobsmacked. Quinn was apologizing? The little diva recovered quickly and put a hand on Quinn's shoulder. She ignored the goosebumps on her arm and captured the former cheerleader's hazelnut gaze. "I forgive you, Quinn. Thank you for the apology."

Rachel couldn't tear her eyes away from Quinn's. It was Quinn who broke the connection as she turned to give her order to the server. Rachel dropped her hand and swallowed her disappointment and gave the menu one last glance before the waiter got to her. It was for the best anyway. She mentally slapped herself for slipping up. For one brief moment her feelings had betrayed her. Quinn was out of reach and she had best remember that fact.

She had long since given up on anything beyond friendship with the blonde. Her hopeful crush on the girl during freshmen year had been broken into pieces by the other girl's bullying. Now the only thing she wanted was to be friends. If Quinn found out about her feelings the blonde might go back to the slushies and name calling. Friendship was the only way to seem normal and keep heart safe. She knew it was masochistic, but she and Quinn had come so far because of glee and she had found it difficult to let go of the dream of the other girl completely. Moments between them threatened to undermine her determination to protect her heart. The conversation with Quinn about the proposal was a memory she often visited. The pain in the blonde's eyes had almost had her confessing her feelings then and there. She had lied to Quinn about Finn being the one to keep her at arms length. Finn was safe. Yes he was an anchor, but an anchor keeps a ship from being tossed along the waves. He could never really break her heart, because he had never fully touched it.

She took a deep breath and put her emotions into a box. She could do this; she could just be Quinn's friend. They would get through planning Judy's wedding, form a friendship, and Rachel could get married and not lose everything she had worked so hard to achieve. The diva could have the perfect leading man, a Broadway career, and close friends _and_ have the acceptance she had craved her entire life. Rachel turned and joined the conversation at the table. A bright smile formed; she could do this.

* * *

Quinn covertly studied Rachel as the meal progressed. Something had happened, but she couldn't figure out what. The girl was animatedly joking and laughing with the others, but there was something that was off about it. The blonde recognized Rachel's 'showface' and wondered why the diva was acting that way.

She replayed their conversation as she chewed her food. Awkwardness, check. Rachel rambling, check. Apology, check. Friendship moment, check. Quinn inwardly shrugged. She had no idea why Rachel had erected emotional walls, but she herself did so often, so she decided it was none of her business. Rachel would tell her eventually. The blonde knew that the diminutive brunette couldn't stay quiet, so she reasoned that it would spill out eventually.

The former cheerleader had felt a weight drop from her chest after that apology to the diva. She had finally decided to be friend with the other girl and had already started a fight. She didn't regret the things that she said, but she did feel badly about how she had expressed those feelings. Putting her musings aside, she tuned back into the conversation at the table. Her mother and Rachel were animatedly discussing something. Quinn watched her mom with interest. Judy was obviously enjoying her conversation with the little diva. Quinn's ears perked up when she heard Rachel say that she was more that happy to offer her services.

"What now?" Quinn inquired curiously. "What kind of 'services' are you offering, Rachel?"

A light blush colored the diva's cheeks as she turned to Quinn. "I was simply telling your mother that I am available to help you with anything. Caterers, flowers, and anything else wedding related. I told her about my meticulously organized binders and some of my own ideas about colors and flower arrangements." Rachel paused and took a deep breath. Before she could launch into more detail Quinn neatly cut her off.

"That would be great, Rach. I know I didn't give you that impression yesterday, but I really could use your help." Quinn smiled sheepishly.

Rachel looked caught off guard. She coughed lightly and then beamed a genuinely happy smile at the blonde. "Consider it done then. I'll come over everyday around nine and you and I can get this wedding planned."

"Sounds good." Quinn chuckled at Rachel's enthusiasm. "What do you think we should work on first?"

Both girls quickly fell into a heated debate about which item on Quinn's to do list was most important. They each pulled out their phones to start making notes and setting up appointments.

Judy and Rachel's dads watched the whole situation with interest. "Oh, thank you, girls. You have no idea what kind of stress this takes off my shoulders. Now I can concentrate on getting some extra work done, so I can take time off for a honeymoon," Judy exclaimed. She hid her smile as Quinn and Rachel ignored her and continued discussing what they should do first.

**A/N: Surprise! It's Rachel that realizes her feelings. Sorry to those of you who guessed Quinn. Since I try to avoid the obvious, I thought it would be fun for Rachel to have unrequited feelings. Just remember that Quinn lives her life in a little bit of denial sometimes. Don't give up on her.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hmm, it seems that Judy knows something that Quinn doesn't.**

**A/N2: Sadly, Glee does not belong to me, nor does Thai Jasmine or Lady Antebellum.**

Chapter 5

It was Monday morning and Rachel stood in front of Quinn's house armed with her binders and laptop. She also had a list of the places they needed to visit like the florist and the caterer. She had gone so far as to include ones not just in Lima, but in surrounding cities with a driving distance of less than two hours. At nine o'clock on the dot, she rang the bell and tried to ignore her own nervousness.

When Quinn opened the door, Rachel took in the blonde's disheveled appearance. She had obviously just woken up. "Ugh, sorry Rachel, I slept through my alarm. I don't how you get up so early during Spring Break."

Rachel was still trying slow her erratic heartbeat. Quinn was dressed in tiny shorts and a loose shirt that exposed one shoulder. She managed to get her throat working and prayed that Quinn hadn't noticed her unintentional leering. "That's quite alright, Quinn," Rachel replied primly. "And to answer your query I always get up early, even during school breaks. I wouldn't want anything to disrupt my daily routine or my sleeping patterns." Rachel watched the other girl's face and was relieved that she didn't seem uncomfortable.

Quinn looked adorably confused at the little songbird's rambling and burst out, "coffee! I need some caffeine so I can keep up with you this morning. Come on in and make yourself comfortable." She closed the door behind Rachel and motioned for the brunette to follow her.

Rachel trailed after Quinn as the blonde ambled to the kitchen and began rummaging through cabinets. Within a few minutes the she had the coffeepot going. In the meantime, Rachel had put her stuff on the kitchen table and had already begun organizing her folders as she waited for Quinn to finish.

"Hey, Rach, do you want some coffee?" Quinn called out as she pulled down some mugs. "I mentioned to my mother that you were vegan and she picked up some almond milk for you when she went grocery shopping."

"In that case, I will have some coffee. Thank you, Quinn." Rachel's smile brightened and her heart fluttered at the idea that Quinn even remembered that she was vegan let alone cared enough to offer an alternative to milk. Clamping down on her emotions, she smiled up at Quinn as the girl settled in the chair next to her and they began the arduous task of planning the perfect wedding.

* * *

Quinn smiled with satisfaction. Ever since she decided to plan the wedding herself rather than pay a consultant like Mr. Lavender, she had been drowning under the pressure. Go figure that it was Rachel who would not only throw her a life preserver, but a boat and paddle as well. She and the diva had already narrowed down the copious florists and bakeries to just a few. She was unsurprised to find that the brunette was a wiz at internet research. As a result, Quinn already had appointments at various places.

The morning flew by so quickly that it was soon time for lunch. Quinn had missed breakfast and her growling stomach refused to be ignored. She looked up at the diva. "Hey, Rachel, what do you say we break for lunch? I'm kinda hungry."

"Lunch would be fine, Quinn. I'm certain that you're hungry since you didn't have anything for breakfast except coffee," Rachel smirked.

Quinn chuckled goodnaturedly. "Yes, well, it was worth it. We did get a lot done." She picked up their cups and moved to the kitchen. "Let's get takeout. We can order from Thai Jasmine. My treat."

Rachel perked up at the mention of her favorite eatery. Thai Jasmine was one of the few places in Lima that catered to her vegan diet and it was rare that she had an opportunity to get it. "That sounds wonderful, Quinn. I'll take the Pad Thai mild, hold the egg please."

"Got it," Quinn stated as she dialed, "one mild Pad Thai, hold the egg and I'm going to get us some Deep Fried Tofu and Tempura Vegetable and a Satay Fried Rice with chicken for myself."

"Make sure to request the lunch sizes so we have room for all of that," Rachel said, amused by the amount of food that Quinn was ordering. "Don't forget that we have a meeting at precisely two o'clock with one of the caterers on my list."

Quinn quickly placed their orders and came back into the room. "The food should be ready in about fifteen minutes. Let me get dressed real quick and we can head out. After we eat, we should have just enough time to get to the caterer."

Rachel quickly agreed Quinn's plan. While the blonde was upstairs changing, the brunette prepared the list of questions for the caterer involving both the menu and the budget. She worked efficiently, humming to herself. So far the day had gone beautifully. The diva mentally patted herself on the back at how well this was going. If all went according to plan, she and Quinn would finally have a solid friendship and she could get over her ill-advised crush on the blonde.

* * *

Upstairs in her room, Quinn was mulling over her rather bizarre morning as she hurriedly dressed. She had briefly woken up to see her mother before Judy left for work. Quinn had wanted to narrow down some specifics about food and flowers before meeting with Rachel. Her mother had been oddly chipper, dancing around the kitchen and humming to herself. The discussion didn't take long and Quinn was trudging back up the stairs to go back to sleep when her mom winked at her and called out, "Have a good day with Rachel, Quinnie!"

Quinn shook her head as she recalled the gleam in her mother's eyes. Her mom was probably just excited that Quinn finally had a real friend other than Santanna and Britney. She shrugged off the notion that it was anything more than that.

Smoothing her hair into place, Quinn studied her outfit and deemed it acceptable to go out in public. She paired red skinny jeans with black ballet flats and a soft white peasant blouse trimmed in red. A matching red headband over her straightened hair completed the look. She grabbed her purse, checked her wallet for money, and pulled out her keys.

She overheard Rachel singing as she traveled down the stairs. The blonde followed the sound to her living room and stopped short. The songbird's eyes were tightly closed and her voice was powerful as she sang.

**'Lyin' here with you so close to me**

**It's hard to fight this feelings when it feels so hard to breathe**

**Caught up in this moment, caught up in your smile**

**I've never opened up to anyone**

**So hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms**

**But we don't need to rush this, let's just take it slow**

**Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight**

**Just a touch of the fire burnin so bright**

**Now I don't wanna mess this thing up**

**I don't wanna push too far**

**Just a shot in the dark that you just might**

**Be the one I've been waitin for my whole life**

**So baby, I'm alright with just a kiss good night**

**I know that if we give this a little time**

**It'll only bring us closer to the love we wanna find**

**It's never felt so real**

**No it's never felt so right**

**Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight**

**Just a touch of the fire burnin so bright**

**Now I don't wanna mess this thing up**

**I don't wanna push too far**

**Just a shot in the dark that you just might**

**Be the one I've been waitin for my whole life**

**So baby, I'm alright with just a kiss good night**

Quinn felt a lump rise to her throat. Rachel was mesmerizing in her intensity. The song seemed to be very personal and she felt like she was intruding on a private moment, but before she could sneak away, however, Rachel's eyes opened and her voice trailed off as she blushed. Quinn felt something squeeze her heart when she saw a tear slide down the diva's cheek. Quinn bit back the sudden urge to wipe away Rachel's tears and instead picked up a box of tissues and shook the box questioningly.

The songbird sniffled a little and took the offered tissue to dab at her eyes. "Sorry. I tend to get emotionally wrapped up in my song selections."

"Are you okay, Rach?" Quinn asked. She cocked her head at Rachel. "Who sings that? It's not a song that I recognize."

"I'm fine," Rachel waved off Quinn's concern. "The song is called 'Just a Kiss' and it's sung by Lady Antebellum. Did you like the song? Since joining Glee Club, I have taken every opportunity to expand my musical repertoire. At Noah's suggestion, I've been listening to more rock and country music."

"It was beautiful. A little sad perhaps." Quinn looked thoughtful, "Were you singing it for Finn?"

A panicked look crossed Rachel's face, but she quickly covered by remarking, "No, it's just an acting exercise. I try to put myself in the character's shoes; it helps me emotionally connect with my audience. I didn't mean to be so maudlin."

The blonde pursed her lips in disbelief, but decided to let it go. Everyone was entitled to secrets. "As long as you're sure, Rach. Let's go eat!" She grabbed Rachel's hand and pulled her towards the door. As she drove the two of them to get their food she hoped that eventually Rachel would trust her enough to open up.

**A/N: Whew! This is my longest chapter so far. What did you think? Feedback is always appreciated.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you so much for all of the alerts and favorites. I can't believe that I already have over 2,000 views. Please continue as it inspires and motivates me to keep writing. I still don't own Glee and I don't own Ann Ross Catering. I edit my own work, so sorry if I missed anything.**

**A/N2: Not much in terms of plot, but I am moving them along with plans for the wedding.**

Chapter 6

The girls chatted and laughed as Quinn drove them to the caterer. Ann Ross Catering was the premiere caterer in Lima. She offered simple or extravagant gourmet food and didn't cause an aneurysm with her prices. Quinn already approved just after studying reviews online and asking around.

They pulled into the parking lot and entered the building. The shop was simple and efficient, with a comfortable waiting area. Her awards and licenses were clearly displayed along with her state health inspection grade. The blonde noticed with satisfaction that the rating was near perfect.

She glanced at Rachel, who was busy taking notes and muttering quietly to herself. Quinn smiled indulgently as she checked in with the receptionist, who was both pleasant and professional. So far so good. She quickly waved both girls into Ms. Ross's office.

They both sat and Quinn took note of the surroundings as Rachel retrieved her list of questions and requirements for the wedding. The office was neat and orderly, but warm. There were various pictures of family scattered with a few mementos as well as photos of her work, which were prominently displayed on one wall. Two diplomas graced the wall- the first belonged to the University of Ohio at Lima and the second was from the Culinary Institute of America, which was in New York. Impressed, the former cheerleader smiled as she turned to meet the vivid blue eyes of the owner.

"How can I help you young ladies today?" Ms. Ross was an impressive looking woman, Quinn noted, with sharp blue eyes and thick wavy black hair. She was rather tall, with some slight plumpness to her frame, and she commanded the room simply by entering it.

Before Quinn could answer, Rachel jumped in, "Hello, my name is Rachel Berry and this is Quinn Fabray. We are here to discuss a possible menu for Quinn's mother Judy Fabray and her soon to be husband Patrick McKenzie. The reception will be in the parish hall of the First Baptist Church of Lima." The little diva paused to take a breath before continuing, "We'll need to serve approximately one hundred and fifty people, so we need to see what options you might have available for us."

Ms. Ross nodded at the two girls and reached into her files. "Alright, girls, first let's start with what kind of menu you want to plan. I have several choices for you. You can select two entree items and have your guests choose from each one, you can do family style platters, or you can just do hors d'oeuvres." She smiled at them and handed them an order sheet with prices. "I also have packages that include two appetizers, an entree, and a salad for specific numbers of people. Most of my prices range from $15 to $45 per person, depending on what you choose. You'll find that I'm very competitive with my pricing. I also do wedding and groom's cakes for $3 per person."

Quinn observed Rachel scribbling furiously as Ms. Ross spoke and smirked. The two of them had made a list of caterers and their prices, so the brunette was already comparing Ms. Ross's prices to what she had researched online. She was inline with what they found was the industry norm.

The blonde eyed the caterer and nodded in approval. "Do you have any samples of your work available? If possible, the two of us would like to try something. I was impressed by the wonderful reviews of your menus and services."

Ms. Ross stood up and nodded as she motioned for the girls to follow her. "You can leave your stuff here. I'm just going to give you a quick tour of the kitchen and show you some samples."

The tall brunette led the way down the hall into an open area with a large walk-in refrigerator and walk-in freezer. She had several stainless steel prep areas, a massive grill, a line of gas burners, and three large ovens. The caterer pulled on a hairnet before disappearing into the cooler. A few minutes later she returned with two platters in her hands.

"This is a signature dish. I slice open mangoes and slightly hollow them out. The mangoes are then lightly grilled, while the remaining fruit is mixed with strawberries and some secret ingredients to make a salsa. The mangoes are filled with the salsa and drizzled with an agave syrup glaze."

As both girls grabbed a piece, Quinn anticipated Rachel's question and politely asked if the dish was vegan.

Ms. Ross nodded and continued showcasing her talent in the kitchen. "The next item is not vegan, my dear," she smiled, "but it is delicious and simple. I mix almonds and flour with my special blend of spices as a coating for chicken breasts. The meat is baked, but the coating is still very crispy. I serve it over herbed rice pilaf with a side of roasted asparagus."

Quinn closed her eyes as the flavors blended onto her tongue. The chicken was juicy and (despite being cold) very crisp. There was a hint of heat with the hint of spice, but nothing overpowering. She moaned a little before she swallowed and looked up at the taller brunette. "This is one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted."

"Thank you, miss. I enjoy cooking and try to combine both the unique and the simple. People at a wedding want to recognize what they're eating, but still find something different and that's what I strive to provide."

"What do you think, Rach?" Quinn questioned the little diva. The brunette had a slightly dazed expression.

The girl look confused for a moment before replying, "I think that Ms. Ross is very talented and we should definitely look at which package she has that might fit our needs." She clapped her hands and Quinn decided that the little brunette was excited to be making such good progress so soon. The diva gleefully took a copy of Ms. Ross's menu items and package prices to look at later.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Finn, I can't right now; I'm helping Quinn with her mom's wedding." Rachel lay on her bed that evening looking over menu options and calculating costs as she typed up a chart in her computer. Although a power point would have been more informative. A chart would have to do as it was quicker to type. She huffed into her cellphone, "Finn, don't start this right now. Quinn and I are friends and helping her is important to me."

"_I just don't understand, Rach. How can you help her after the way she's treated you? Are you just doing this to gain some popularity?" _

Rachel rolled her eyes. "I've never been popular, Finn and I don't plan to start now. I don't date you for your popularity do I? Quinn's friendship is important to me, that's all."

"_Okay, Rachel. I just miss you is all. We have been together in awhile, not since that weekend your dads made me spend the night."_ Finn's voice lowered in an attempt to be sexy and Rachel shuddered.

"Is that all you want from me, Finn? Now that we've slept together, that's all I'm good for. Surely you think of me as more than a sex object!" Rachel's rant gathered steam.

Finn spoke angrily into the phone, _"Whatever, Rachel. I want to marry you. That should tell you that I want more than just sex!" _Rachel heard something crash right before Finn hung up.

Rachel tossed her phone on her bed, frustrated with the situation. She wanted to crave Finn's touch and his feeble attempts to get into her pants. She didn't expect much more as he was a teenage boy. His sweet gestures were often rather lame, but he at least tried. The brunette sighed as she glanced at the photos of the two of them by her bed. He was her shot at normality and she needed to suck it up.

She fell back onto her pillows as she reviewed the day. When Quinn had interrupted her singing, she had almost given away her feelings. Thankfully, she covered them up with a believable excuse. She didn't want to lose the closeness that was finally developing between herself and Quinn.

She had another moment of weakness when they were trying the food. Quinn had moaned and it sent a shot of heat through Rachel. She had watched dazedly as the blonde's tongue swept across perfect pink lips in an attempt to savor the flavors of the dish. She was imagining what she would do with that tongue when she heard the tail-end of the other girl's question. Once again Rachel had covered with her 'chipmunk on speed' speak, avoiding the danger of spilling her feelings.

They visited two more caterers before deciding to call it a day. They headed back to the Fabray house to unload. Quinn invited her for dinner, but Rachel felt she had pushed her luck enough and left for home. She promised to organize everything into an easy to ready chart, so that Judy could make an informed decision on the caterer.

It was getting more difficult to hide her feelings the longer she spent with the blonde. Quinn was beautiful, intelligent, and surprisingly funny with a slight dorky side, but it wasn't her beauty that Rachel craved. Instead, Rachel longed to be let past the blonde's defenses to the girl underneath the HBIC, but she was afraid. She was scared of Quinn discovering her feelings and reverting back to the cruel girl who tormented her. The diva turned off her light and attempted to sleep. Hopefully, she could continue this relationship without losing everything that mattered.

**A/N3: Things will move along in the next installment. Stay tuned! Reviews are appreciated.**


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